Closure construction



United States Patent O 3,435,976 CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Edward W. Owens,Palatine, Ill., assignor to The AFA Corporation of Florida, Miami, Fla.,a corporation of Florida Filed Nov. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 682,115 Int. Cl.B6Sd 53/02 U.S. Cl. 215-40 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to closures for containers such las bottles or the like, andmore particularly pertains to a closure adapted to effect multiple sealswith a container cylindrical discharge portion.

Description of the prior 'art In copending application Ser. No. 647,570,led l une 20, 1967 now Patent No. 3,382,996, an integral closure memberis disclosed having a exible top which is externally, normally concaveand which is formed integrally with an internally threaded dependingskirt. Upon threadedly engaging a container neck, the top may be flexedinto a horizontal disposition thereby providing visible evidence thatthe closure is desirably engaged with the container in sealingengagement, The closure hereinafter described in detail possesses thischaracteristic in addition to possessing auxiliary sealing capabilities.

The closures disclosed in U.S. Patents Nos. 3,160,303, 2,987,206 and2,663,463 possess top portions which flex slightly, but n ot to theextent permissible with applicants closure. Also,the multiple sealingaction inherent in the following closure is nowhere suggested in theprior art.

SUMMARY It is an object of this invention to provide a closure whichpossesses a flexing top, visually revealing the degree of seal effected,vwhile also effecting multiple seals with the cylindrical dischargeportion `of a Ibottle or the like. The multiple seals are effected bymeans of the flexing closure top portion whose convex undersurfaceengages a container terminus, and `a centrally projecting ring exteding`from the top undersurface which engages the internal periphery of a'bottle cylindrical discharge portion thereby effecting a separate sealtherewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. is a view similar to FIG. 4illustrating the use view taken on line 3-3 of of the closure providedby this invention alone without the presence of a seal ring.

THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. l, an integral closure 10 isillustrated which is preferably formed of polypropylene or other plasticwhich may be flexed indefinitely without evidencing signs of strain orcracking. As -will be more apparent from FIGS. 3 through 5, the closure10 cornprises a flexible top portion 12 which is joined about itsannular periphery to `a depending skirt portion 14. Female threads 16are formed on the interior of the skirt 14 and are adapted to engagemale threads such as are normally found on the cylindrical dischargepotrion of a container such as bottle 18 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

It will be noted from these latter t-wo figures that as the femalethreads 16 engage male threads 20 formed `about the outer periphery ofcylindrical discharge portion 22 of the bottle 18, distal terminus 24 ofthe bottle portion 22, which terminus is normally in a single plane asillustrated, is urged against the initially convex undersurface of theclosure top 12 Vas seen in FIG. 3 and continues to urge the flexible topinto substantially a horizontal disposition as illustrated in FIG. 5.

It may be thus visually ascertained by merely noting the concavity orplanar disposition of the top portion 12 of the closure 10i, the exactdegree `of seal which is effected between the closure undersurface andthe distal terminus 24 of the bottle or like container. Inasmuch as thetop portion 12 is flexible, it resiliently serves Ias a lock preventingback off and unthreading of the closure in those instances in which thecontainer closure assembly is jostled or moved about in the course oftransport or handling.

As explained in copending application 647,570 `such back off isextremely undesirable and may be dangerous in those instances in whichthe containers hold poisonous uids or fluids giving off noxious anddisagreeable odors. Also, the container may hold volatile liquids whichare costly and which should -be retained in fluid-tight condition untilemployed by the ultimate consumer.

As is apparent from FIGS. 3 through 5 of the drawing, the closure 10 hasa projecting ring-like portion 26 downwardly projecting from thenormally convex undersurface of the top portion 12 of the closure. It isseen from FIG. 5 that as the container threads 20` engage the malethreads 16 disposed on the interior of the skirt 14 of the closure, athin deformable rib 28 defining the greatest diameter of the projectingring 26 engages the inner periphery of the cylindrical bottle portion22. Inasmuch as the rib 28 is thin and readily deformable, it willeffect a substantially Huid-tight seal with the periphery of thecontainer neck.

This latter seal is in addition to that eiifected by the flatV terminus24 of the container closure top undersurface.

In those instances in which extremely volatile fluids are handled, aseparate seal ring such as ring 30 illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 isemployed. The latter ring may be composed of desired sealing materialssuch as wood pulp, cork or plastic affording the desired sealingcharacteristics. The latter ring, as is apparent from FIG. 4, willengage the lupper terminus 24 of the container neck 22 effecting adesired yfluid seal therewith in those instances in which an exceptionalseal is desired.

Thus in those instances in which extremely volatile liquids aremaintained in the container 18, a desired tight seal may be assured byutilizing the seal ring 30 which may be of soft cork or other materialwhich will readily compress as the bottle terminus is urged thereagainsteffecting a desired Huid-tight seal.

As seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, seal ring 30 is retained against the closureunder surface by being locked about 18 as it is urged against the the-periphery of the projecting ring 26 by means of the exible rib 28. Therib 28 therefore assists in forming a ring-receiving recess of annulusadjacent the closure top undersurface and enables the seal ring to 'bereadily snapped in place over the rib 28 against the closurenndersurface. The rib 28 is therefore seen to serve a double function,namely, that of effecting a seal with the inner periphery of the bottledischarge neck while also serving to lock the seal ring 30 in desiredposition against the closure undersurface in the manner illustrated inFIG. 4. The seal ring 30 is desirably of flexible material toaccommodate manufacturing variances in the outer diameters of theprojecting rings 26, as 'well as variances in the i-nner diameters ofthe container neck portions.

It is seen therefore that a novel closure has been provided which isextremely versatile in effecting a plurality of seals. It will effect adouble seal when secured in place to a container neck and may alsoeffect a higher degree of sealing efficiency when employed inconjunction with a separate snap-in seal ring such as illustrated ring30. The use of the discrete seal ring 30 allows for ready replaceabilityof such seal ring and the ability of the closure to be employed inconjunction with a large number of fluids of varying volatility. Thedesired seal being eected by the selection of the appropriate seal ring.The provided ring 26 and rib 28 enables seal ring 30 to :be securelymaintained in place without the need for adhesive. The absence ofadhesive provides a manufacturing saving and also eliminates a source ofpossible contamination of the container contents. The mechanical lock isalso more reliable than the ordinary adhesive.

The foregoing disclosure has been provided by way of example only andwhile particular embodiments of this invention have been shown anddescribed, it Iwill be understood, of course, that the invention is notlimited thereto since modifications may be made by those skilled in theart, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Therefore, it iscontemplated by the appended claims to cover any such modifications asincorporate those features which may be said to constitute the essentialfeatures of these improvements, within the true spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A closure comprising a circular top which is normally exteriorlyconcave, a cylindrical skirt depending from the periphery of said topwhich is internally threaded, a projecting ring portion concentric withsaid skirt projecting from said top undersurface within said skirt, saidring portion having an annular recess formed in the base thereofadjacent said undersurface, said circular top being flexible relative tosaid skirt portion whereby said top may assume an exteriorly planarconfiguration upon exertion of an axial thrust against said topundersurface,

2. The closure of claim 1 which said ring portion has a thin, readilydeformable rib defining a limit of said recess; said rib projectingtoward the skirt threads with which concentrically disposed.

3. The closure of claim 2 in which a seal ring is snugly received aboutsaid projecting ring portion between said rib and said top undersurface.

4. In combination, a container having a cylindrical discharge portionwith a distal terminus disposed substantially in a single plane, and aclosure having a normally exteriorly concave top and convex undersurfaceformed integrally with a depending skirt, projecting ring meansconcentric with said skirt depending from said top undersurface, saidclosure top being flexibly movable into a substantially planardisposition, lirst means disposed about the outer periphery of saidcontainer cylindrical discharge portion, and second means adapted toengage said first means in interlocking relationship disposed about theinner periphery of said skirt means, said container terminus urging saidclosure top into substantially a hori- Zontal plane 'when said first andsecond means are interlocked; said closure ring means snugly engagingthe inner periphery of said container discharge portion when said rstand second means are interlocked.

5. The combination of claim 4 in lwhich said rst and second meanscomprise mating male and female threadsY respectively.

6. The combination of claim 4 in which said projecting ring means 'has aseal ring snugly received about the periphery thereof and normallydisposed against said top undersurface, said seal ring engaging theterminus of said container when said first and second means areinterlocked.

7. The combination of claim 6 in which said projecting ring means isannularly relieved adjacent said top undersurface twhereby said sealring is locked in place adjacent said undersurface.

8. A closure comprising a circular top which is normally exteriorlyconcave, a cylindrical skirt depending from the outer periphery of saidtop, said skirt being internally threaded, first means extending fromthe center of said top undersurface which is normally convex, seal ringmeans snugly disposed about the periphery of said rst means, said topbeing flexibly movable into a planar disposition upon exertion of anaxial thrust against said seal ring means.

9. A closure comprising a circular top which is normally exteriorlyconcave having a convex undersurface, a cylindrical skirt depending fromthe outer periphery of said top, said skirt being internally threaded;projecting ring means extending from said convex undersurfaceconcentrically arranged within said skirt; a thin, annular, readilydeformable rib disposed about said ring means disposed adjacent said topundersurface, said top being flexibly movable into a substantiallyplanar disposition uipon application of an axial thrust against saidundersurface.

10. The closure of claim 9 in which a seal ring is locked against saidclosure undersurface by means of said rib and snugly engages aperipheral portion of said ring means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner.

